Help with new setup

[hocky98]

I just set up a 75 gallon tank 2 weeks ago. It is doing great so far with 6 damsels and 2 newly added hermit crabs.
I want to build a mostly fish aquarium, but would like to build a nice coral and invert mount in the center. My lfs told me I should do a fish only or reef tank, not a combo like I'd like. Can I put together something like this and how much live rock and such should I use? Currently I have no live rock, coral or sand. I have crushed coral on the bottom and non-live rock and coral for accents.

 

[900dublr]

I wouldnt listen to everything the lf guy tells you. I dont think it really matters if you combine fish and corals. Though if you decide to keep corals its alot more expensive and it is harder than a fowlr. You can use crushed coral as a substrate but sand is better. I used cc for a a few weeks b/c i got it free and ended up switching to sand. As for live rock usually the rule of thumb is atleast 1 lb per gallon. Some people use 2 or even more per gallon. If you don't have lighting you will need fixtures that put out 4-5 watts per gallon. Btw is your tank cycled yet?

 

[hocky98]

My tank has the standard 4' uv light fixture you get with a 75 gallon tank. The tank has only been setup for 2 weeks, so it has not cycled yet.

 

[squidd]

The "standard" lighting won't cut it for corals, but will be fine for a FO or FOWLR tank...
You can keep fish with corals, you just need to make sure they are "Reef Safe" (won't bother corals when you get them)...and you will want to keep fish load (number of, and size) down to give the corals better water quality..
Your best bet would be to finish "cycling" your tank... start "collecting" or adding LR...put in a "few" reef safe fish and let the tank "mature" for a few months...
That will give you time to up grade lights, skimmer and filtration, and get more "experience" in holding tank parameters "steady" before adding corals...
Best of both worlds for you and the fish and the corals...
Good luck and keep asking questions...

 

[hocky98]

I take it FOWLR=fish only with live rock?
I think this is what I am looking to do. I'd like to put together a small mound in the center with live rock and add some anenomes/shrums etc. to it. With a 75 gallon tank, how much rock must I add and what about lighting, filtration, etc.? Should I begin to add live rock now, during the cycling?